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Bloomberg
Volkswagen AG plans a renewed push into the lucrative pickup segment that’s elu-ded the German manufacturer for years.
The compact Tarok, shown in Sao Paulo, “will soon†be offered in Brazil, the company said in a statement. The truck “has the potential to boost Volkswagen’s model range in other global markets,†it said without providing details.
The world’s biggest carmaker has struggled to break through in the pickup category while rivals from General Motors Co. to Toyota Motor Corp. have raked in profits. VW has made progress in sport utility vehicles, another area where it lagged behind, but its truck lineup has been restricted to the low-volume Amarok, introduced in 2010. The vehicle, which is mainly sold in South America and Europe, is smaller than Ford Motor Co.’s best-selling F-150.
VW’s ambitions could get a boost from broad collaboration talks with Ford that range from commercial vehicles to autonomous driving, electric cars and potentially more. Imported pick-ups are subject to a 25 percent tax in the US, the biggest market for the vehicles, making it unrealistic to sell trucks in the market unless they’re made in North America.